RFP Staff ♦ Learn what Rowan-Salisbury Schools are top dogs in the school system’s free and reduced lunch program. At the Rowan Free Press we support that no child in Rowan County, North Carolina should ever go hungry. A starving child can not learn. Below is an excel spread sheet showing what Rowan-Salisbury Schools are […]

Steve Mensing, Editor ♦ **This is an updated version of a Rowan Free Press article appearing in 2013.** Fire’s Intense Attraction Who fails to notice a major fire roaring out of control attracts huge crowds and amps up local TV news-viewing? Something innately powerful and magnetic exists about a massive fire whose roiling pillars of […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police Department sources report that Salisbury Police Officer J.E. Johansen was allegedly the victim of an “assault on a government official” in the parking lot of the Speedway filling station on 500 E. Innes Street, long noted as a magnet for crime where muggings, purse snatchings, broken bottle fights, knifings, and […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources report that Transource Truck and Trailer Center on 1400 W. Jake Alexander Boulevard were victims of a “burglary-forcible entry” and a “motor vehicle theft-truck” sometime Tuesday morning prior to their opening. Burglars forced a widow of the service building to gain entry and stole 2 Samsung TVs (valued at […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources and area residents Tonya Danine Holmes, 42, a department of corrections employee living at 618 E. Franklin Street, was the victim of an “all other shooting into an occupied property” Wednesday afternoon. Investigators recovered a bullet from the property from an undetermined firearm. Mercifully no one was […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources report that Hoff’s Grill, home of the city’s famous grilled pork sandwiches and other southern style delights, was the victim Tuesday night of a “burglary-forcible entry” at 1621 W. Innes Street. The burglars cut through a lock on the backdoor and entered there. They moved swiftly to carry off […]

RFP Staff ♦ Businesses large and small are getting hammered by break-ins and unlawful entries all over Salisbury. Almost daily the Salisbury Police incident reports are brimming with burglaries. Business owners, especially the larger ones, really require state of the art electronic surveillance, motion detectors, and alarm systems, yet they won’t work if someone leaves […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources report that Metro PCS, 519 W. Jake Alexander Boulevard, was the victim of a “robbery-strong arm no weapon” Friday night when an alleged transgender and her beau entered the store and asked to see Apple iPhones. The male abruptly grappled with a store employee and forcefully snatched 2 Apple […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Rowan County Sheriff’s Office sources Charles David “Doodle” Jacobs, 48, living in the 800 block of St. Andrews Church Road in Woodleaf with his alleged victim Marilyn Anne Jacobs, 66, was arrested at the Davie County line at 12:01 a.m. and charged with “assault by strangulation” and “communicating threats”. It […]

RFP Staff ♦ Violence in the streets of Salisbury is on the rise since as the temperatures heated up. Violent crime can happen anywhere in Salisbury. The West End, Fulton Heights appear to be particularly afflicted. Shootings into occupied homes have picked up. According to Salisbury Police Thomas Jerome Hosch, 35, of 610 Shaver Street, […]

RFP Staff ♦ Last week we learned that Salisbury Square Antiques and Collectibles, at 111 S. Main, a junktique and retro clutter store, closed its doors for the final time Saturday June 30th. The two fellows who ran the shop are going to retire. The building and business was sold to Harrison Smith an antique […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources Norman Allen Basinger AKA “King of the Streets of Salisbury” who apparently has a tri-residency: the streets of Salisbury, S. Salisbury Avenue in Spencer, and 177 Renaissance PL, Statesville, NC., was the victim of a “robbery-knife” at 3:24 a.m. Saturday morning in the 200 Blk of N. […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police Report that Joshua Dewayne Pruitt, 24, of the streets of Salisbury, was arrested Thursday at 2:41 p.m. at 502 N. Shaver Street for the alleged May 22nd armed robbery at the Spee-Dee Mart on 402 Park Avenue where he allegedly held up Bradley Donelle Wallace, 31, of E. Lafayette Street […]

RFP Staff ♦ Before we begin the Rowan-Salisbury Schools latest desperation gamble of becoming a “Renewal School System” we want to let parents know they have excellent learning options available not only at the State’s wonderful virtual school “North Carolina Connections Academy”, several private schools in Rowan County, and excellent fully accredited public schools in […]

RFP Staff ♦ According Salisbury Police sources Deron Cornelius Johnson, 25, living at 823 E. Lafayette Street, was the victim of a “robbery-firearm” at 32 Kesler Street Thursday morning. A stranger held a handgun on Johnson and told him to turn loose his Samsung Galaxy cellphone and a LG tablet. Johnson obliged. The electronics were valued […]

RFP Staff ♦ An ACLU’s Thursday Press Release stated: “The U.S. Supreme Court announced today it will not review a ruling that found the county commissioners of Rowan County, North Carolina, violated the Constitution by coercing members of the public to join in prayers that overwhelmingly advanced beliefs specific to one religion.” According to the […]

RFP Staff ♦ The shootings into occupied homes continues at a high pace. Law enforcement has voiced the opinion that a number of these shootings are connected likely through vengeance motives. The great challenge of vendetta shootings is that innocent people are murdered or wounded when shooters go to the wrong address or shoot into […]

RFP Staff ♦ According Rowan County Sheriff’s Office sources Stephanie Luann Fisher, 34, of Rowan County was arrested for violating probation on June 22nd. She is currently on hold at the Rowan County Detention Center. Stephanie Luann Fisher, age 34: Charges Stephanie Luann Fisher: Stephanie Luann Fisher, age 23 in 2007: Stephanie Luann Fisher, age […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources report that Robert Lee Mileski-Klein, 19, living at 528 Maupin Avenue, was the victim of a “robbery-firearm” in the street at 103 Crawford Street on Tuesday night. Mileski-Klein was assaulted by stranger with a semi-automatic handgun and sustained minor injuries while his 2000 white Ford 4-door Explorer SUV (valued […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources Michelle Fritz Stewart, 49, living at 2608 Crane Drive and a friend Richard David Joseph, 46, of Ellen Street, were victims of a “burglary-forcible entry” on Monday when burglars forced their way into the Crane Drive home by shattering window glass and later exiting through the rear […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources report that Ahmed Mahmoud Elkahlout, 21, of Countryside Drive in Charlotte, was the victim of a “robbery-firearm” at the Zion Hills Apartments at 1614 Standish Street. A stranger pulled a handgun on Elkahlout and threatened him before he took $250 cash, a wallet (valued at $20), a cellphone (valued at […]

RFP Staff ♦ Shootings into occupied houses have stepped up the last 3 weeks in what appears to be a payback war. Late at night or early in the morning vehicles edge slowly down the street until they have a clear shot at window or an open door. Then multiple shots ring out. People get […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police report that Stephen S. Soha, 62, living at 521 E. Cemetery Street, was the victim of a “robbery-strong arm no weapon” Saturday morning. Soha was muscled out of $171 in cash. No injuries were reported. In March of 2018 a burglar walked into his home and walked off with $720. […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Rowan County Sheriff’s Office sources Witt Darnell Alexander, Jr., 25, living on the “streets of Salisbury” and a suspect in the 2 a.m. shooting murder of Mirah Turner, 25, at 1425 N. Long Street, was arrested by Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies this morning at 807 S. Caldwell Street. Under […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury, NC Secures Its Rightful Place at the Forefront of Global Tattoo Art and Culture. Salisbury’s Seju Kosarkami, born 47 tears ago in Salisbury and gone to study with the tattoo masters in Kobe and Tokyo for 14 years. His naturalistic jailhouse style has formed a cult like following from New York to […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Rowan County Sheriff’s Office sources Billieann Michelle Blaney, 26, Living in Salisbury and already on probation for felony convictions in April, was arrested by Sheriff’s Office deputies at the intersection of Castor Road and Wagon Lane in Salisbury at 12:17 a.m. Blaney was charged with allegedly carrying concealed weapons, possessing […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police Department sources report that Idris Shabazz, Muhammad, 58, in the Brenner Crossing Apartments at 620 Brenner Avenue was the victim of a “burglary-forcible entry” where burglars cut through a screen to gain entry into his apartment and make off with $24,328 in assorted designer watches, jewelry, cash, an LG TV, […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources Amanda Nichole Petrea, 25, of 101 Mary Street in Kannapolis, was the victim of a “robbery-firearm” in Zion Hills Apartment’s parking lot sometime around 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning. Petrea was threatened by a stranger with a handgun. The robber allegedly stole a pocketbook (Valued at $20) The […]

RFP Staff ♦ Summer is upon us and burglaries and break-ins in Salisbury will climb from now through October. Renters and homeowners all over the Bury will pull into their carports after a weekend away or a trip to the shore or mountains and find their front doors busted off their hinges or windows […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources Judith Marie Wolfe, 58, a housecleaner living on Jackson Road, was the victim of a “robbery-strong arm no weapon” in a parking area between two apartment buildings early Wednesday morning at 825 E. Lafayette Street. The robber, someone with whom Wolfe was acquainted, forcefully snatched her pocketbook […]

Press Release ♦Today, Salisbury City Council voted to approve the fiscal year July 1, 2018- June 30, 2019 (FY19) budget. The $84,927,408 balanced budget reflects a 1.4% increase in spending from the FY18 adopted budget. City Manager W. Lane Bailey recommended the adopted one-cent tax increase for homeowners to maintain existing services at current levels. […]

RFP Staff ♦ In Salisbury, N.C. the most common crime surely has to be street assaults, sometimes with clubs, rocks, bats, brass knuckles, broken 40 ounce bottles, and bricks. Considered old school is scrapping bare fisted. Certainly far fewer people die from fist fights than from a knifing, shooting, or being clubbed with a baseball […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources reported that Ronnie Lee Pierce, Jr., who lives at 131 John Penn Circle and is an employee of the W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center at 1601 Brenner Avenue, was arrested at his place of work at 10:27 a.m. Monday for alleged Statutory Sex Offenses with a child 15 […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources Kimberly Latricia Vaughters, 38, and Eric Tjuan Harris, 41, both living 617 E. Liberty in Salisbury, were victims of “burglary-unlawful entry” and “larceny-all other” when a stranger entered the door to their room and snatched $80 from Vaughters and $420 from Harris. No one was injured. The […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources reported that Erica Shavonne Clinding, 36, living at 628 W. Bank Street, was the victim of a “burglary-forcible entry” at her home on Thursday. After employing bodily force on a front window and breaking glass, the burglars quickly carried off 3 TVs whose total value was reportedly $1,200. Window […]

RFP Staff ♦ For several days now homes in Salisbury North Carolina have been targets for unknown shooters. It is not known yet if these shootings are related. Is this part of payback? Are these shootings drug or gang related? A lot of people are sleeping on the floor next to interior walls and are […]

RFP Staff ♦ Coming Soon! The History of Grave Robbery in Salisbury. Learn about Hoke Wayne Honbarger among the most famous grave robbers in the entire U.S. and other famous Salisbury Grave Robbers from the 1700’s to present day. The city’ history is rich with men, and sometimes women, ready to break the plane of human […]

RFP Staff ♦ Salisbury Police sources report that Barbara Ann Robertson, 64, living on Woodleaf Road in Salisbury, was the victim of an “all other shooting into an occupied property” on Wednesday at 915 Lincolnton Rd. An unidentified suspect, driving an SUV, fired multiple shots into the home, damaging exterior brick walls, interior walls, and […]

RFP Staff ♦ According to Salisbury Police sources and neighbors on the 800 block of S. Caldwell Street, a home on 807 S. Caldwell was reportedly shot at during drive-bys on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday persons heard multiple gunshots during an evening baseball game at Salisbury High School’s baseball field and people living on […]